Previews

LEGO Star Wars Episode I Preview

The first chapter starts right where the Phantom Menace film did. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan must escape from the gas-filled room and fight a legion of Battle Droids. Here's where you'll first experiment with the game's Force abilities. When playing as a Jedi character, a blue glow will appear around an object that you can use the Force on. Just tap the special ability button and watch the magic. To escape from the room, just use the Force on the blast door. Since it's made of LEGO bricks, it'll quickly shatter into its individual components, allowing you your escape. For a quick laugh, use the Force on the conference table in the room. The chairs around it will begin dancing as the cantina music from the original Star Wars begins playing. It should be no surprise that a LEGO Star Wars game has a sense of humor.

As you slash your way through the Battle Droids (or use the Force to knock them into walls), you'll eventually come across another playable character, the protocol droid, TC-14. By taking control of her, you can use her special ability to open locked doors. Further along in the stage, you'll face powerful Destroyer Droids and environmental puzzles that require using the Force to get past. Dismantle LEGO sculptures to create new passageways and steps that allow you to reach new places and you'll eventually reach the chapter's goal, a Trade Federation MTT (that's a Multi-Troop Transport to you and me) that you can stowaway on down to the surface of Naboo.

Fly, you adorable plastic R2 unit! Fly!

Chapter 2: Invasion of Naboo

Playable Characters: Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jar Jar Binks

Now you're right in the thick of the Trade Federations invasion of Naboo. There are Battle Droids and Gungans everywhere! Fight off the bad guys and work your way through the forest. Occasionally, you'll need to use the Force to rebuild a fallen LEGO tree that has blocked your path or overheat and detonate an errant MTT. Eventually, you stumble across LEGO Jar Jar, whose extraordinary jumping abilities must be used to get past some of Naboo's tricky cliffs. Of course, heesa no can fight, so you'll want to switch back to controlling one of the Jedi when the Battle Droids attack. When you reach the watery entrance to the Gungan city, this chapter ends.

When you start this chapter, you can only play as Amidala and Panaka as they attempt to flee the invading Trade Federation. They're both armed with laser blasters and grappling hooks (or Ascension Guns if you're a Star Wars nerd). Use the hooks to scale the elaborate Naboo architecture and you'll eventually meet up with the Jedi. Now you can switch to them and use their Force powers, which seem to always come in handy.